THE FLAXMILL DISPUTE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1989, 12 June 1919, Page 3

THE FLAXMILL DISPUTE.

Replying to Hie resolution passed by the meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the Social Democratic Parly, Mr R. T. Bell writes as follows in the Palmerston Standard :

“As one of tho employers, Ido jiol fhink for one moment. Unit the majority of llaxwoi'Kcrs want xu military defaulter to represent them, ami if the union officials want proof of it, let them take a ballot of their total membership. To show what harm the so-called popular vote might do, I 'instance the effse of the Temukanui Mill, Tokonumt, which has been closed since Sth January. The llaxcuttcrs at this mill were receiving 11s (id per ton for cutting' the flax. They demanded that I lie price should he increased (o Ids per ton; Ihe employers offered 325, but this price was refused, although as much as 120 per fortnight was being earned by Ihe best cutter. When this (rouble occurred, the union made no attempt (o consult with the employers, but immediately -issued a notice saying it was desirable that no flax should he cut in this area under Ids per lon. The cutlers who si ruck a! once obtained oilier work in the Immediate neighbourhood of (he mill t.hev had slopped. Ihe mill employees were thrown out of work and received little or no assistance from (heir union, because, 1 assume, it was all done by popular vole.”

At a meeting of: the 'Wellington North branch of the Labour Party, held on Tuesday evening, Ihe following resolution was carried unanimously; — “That this branch views with indignation' the attitude of the Manawatu llaxmill owners in refusing to meet the workers’ union in conference because one of the men’s representatives was an alleged military defaulter.” In the course of the discussion it was asked what was to he the logical outcome if the workei’s refused to meet in conference members of the employing class who were known to have been guilty of Avar profiteering ■